This workout felt pretty good, the change from decline to flat db press worked great and i didn't get any pain in my shoulder/pec area during the lifts i also lifted 1 rep more in flat than i did in decline last workout, my technique in the lift was much better than decline too but strength is still stalled on incline

i keep thinking about periodizing the weight, to see if can help me break this plateau on presses, but i want to keep as many variables steady as possible. In this workout i changed the movement from decline to flat, i have also increased my creatine intake from 5g pre and post workout to 10g pre and post to see if it can help.

i want to give these changes a chance before i periodize.

if/when i do, it will be a simple zigzag of load i.e. reduce the weight by 10-20% and increase back up every workout by 5%. this break would hopefully allow my CNS some rest and hopefully help me break this weight.

This is purely a strength/ego thing though and nothing to do with hypetrophy. These workouts will be more than enough to keep any mass i have already while in caloric deficit. Also trying to increase strength while on low calories and lots of cardio is very very hard. i do like to challenge myself though and i have set the target of 60kg for all lifts ( its all my db's will hold ). I may have to contend with 50kg or maybe even less until i am back eating more calories - we shall have to wait and see.

some comments elsewhere on the board questioned my reason for lifting the same weight for every exercise.

obviously i can life more than 8 reps 50kg in the shrugs, deadlifts and rows, but i would like to focus on getting every movement to 60kg ( the maximum weight my dumbbells can hold) before i start to add reps to the other exercises. To go to failure now in deadlifts, shrugs etc would only tire me more and further reduce my ability to improve my presses. As it is i am struggling to improve those press lifts. there is also the low calorie factor and changing weights in between sets takes up more energy and time.

once i reach 60kg and can lift every exercise for 8 reps, then i will start to add reps as/when i can.

Good luck with your progress - same goes to Josh.Though I would shy away from choc/noodles/etc even if it's in small doses.What works for me is lots of fruit(give awesome energy)/veggies, some full grain and eggs.I have eaten apples until any craving is fulfilled(~6-9) and still was able to lose weight while strength went up.

had terrible workout today, i felt good and strong every exercise apart from the presses. i had a weird cramp in my right arm all day, that turned to a sharp pain/weakness when i tried to press. i think the cardio and low calories are finally taking their toll .

so from the next workout i'm going to start periodzing the weight. the lighter weight will give me a chance to recover a little, and hopefully help heal these niggling problems.

i would prefer to lift every 48 hours to maximise protein synthesis levels ( especially if i am going to be periodizing the weight), but that is impossible at present due to work commitments. So i will continue with my every 72-96 hour schedule for now.

Since my strength went so low today, i will be dropping the weight 20% from the next workout, so i will be lifting 40kg in each lift, then increasing the weight by 2.5kg every workout.

I just dont get your diet fatpanda..18 grams of fat in a chunky kit kat and coffee.

Do you have a sweet tooth at all? not being sarcastic or anything just wondering

fat and carbs don't matter for fat loss - only calories.

i also supplement with vitamins, minerals, and omega fats, so any micronutrients that chocolate may lack when compared so called healthy food i.e. with brown rice/pasta, salmon, etc is covered.

but lets be real, we are talking about under 300 calories out of 2000, and on a bad day maybe 600 at the most - so basically its a non issue.

i struggled for the past few years trying to diet strictly, and i would do well for a while, and the weight would fall off rapidly, but eventually time and time again i would give in to the cravings, binge on the foods i wanted and put every pound back on.

i was at a dead end, i knew i simply couldn't live off chicken breasts and sweet potatoes, or turkey and brown rice Then i read both Adonis and wavelengths diet theories and saw the results they had dieting while eating good tasty food. both proved this way of dieting worked. However i quiet frankly didn't believe them - just as most getbiggers didn't believe them nor believe me now. i thought they must be lying about what they are eating, i mean who gets ripped on icecream and cookies it was unheard of. Then i read 2 books: Ultimate Diet Secrets by Dr Gregory Ellis, and The Fat loss Bible by Anthony Colpo. Both books opened my eyes to the laws of thermodynamics as it pertains to dieting. Both books also discuss in depth the results of metabolic ward studies. Theses types of studies are the most accurate way of studying and comparing different types of diet. As everything the person does is monitored and accounted for ( calories burned), along with every gram of food eaten (calories consumed). Giving the most accurate results possible.

For example in Anthony's' fat loss bible, he discusses in detail 17 metabolic ward studies of isocaloric diets varying in macronutrient content (see below). 15 of these studies showed no difference in weight loss between low carb/high fat or high carb/low fat. With the 2 that did show a statistical difference being easily explainable due to water loss. These trials proved without a doubt that calories are what counts in relation to fat loss. This table is actually old now, there have actually been many more trials like these done since this was first published, and have been added to a much larger list in Anthony's updated fat loss bible book and discussed by him in great detail - i highly recommend any getbiggers who are interested in the science of dieting look it up - it a great read, and you will not be disappointed. In case you missed it the ultimate diet secrets is also a fantastic book, and has over 600 pages if i were to recommend 1 over the other i would go with the fat loss bible as it covers more controversial traditional bodybuilding nutrition topics and is more up to date with the latest research.

This way i eat isn't so much a diet, but a lifestyle change. its an easy nutritionally and mentally healthy way to eat long term, weather you want to loss fat with little to no muscle loss or gain muscle with minimum fat. You do not get cravings, you do not suffer, you can eat what you want as long as you count the calories up.

Then i read both Adonis and wavelengths diet theories and saw the results they had dieting while eating good tasty food. both proved this way of dieting worked. However i quiet frankly didn't believe them - just as most getbiggers didn't believe them nor believe me now. i thought they must be lying about what they are eating, i mean who gets ripped on icecream and cookies For example in Anthony's' fat loss bible, he discusses in detail 17 metabolic ward studies of isocaloric diets varying in macronutrient content (see below). 15 of these studies showed no difference in weight loss between low carb/high fat or high carb/low fat.

No one knows how to get ripped like bodybuilders. No one on planet earth gets as lean and muscular as them. No one.

You have many people on this board with real world experience, you should pay more attention to them, and not authors who write "fat loss bibles"

While i'm disappointed I'm not too worried by no weight loss this week, as the 2x 12 hour shifts the past 2 days were very hot and i drank a lot of water over those 2 days - i expect that's reason for zero weight loss i.e. still holding water. If however next week I've not lost anything, then clearly caloric adjustments will have to be made, either by reduction of food intake or increase in exercise.

last week i lost 3lbs, that means over that week i burned roughly around 10500 calories more than i took in via food. Or in other words i burned 1500cals a day more than i ate.

now lets be sensible here, there is no way on planet earth that my metabolism has slowed by roughly 1500cals per day, while working out with weights twice this week and doing 4 hiit cardio sessions while eating roughly the same foods with the same calorie content

a more likely senario is my body is simply holding water after 2 hard days work in hot temperatures.